Best Intentions
by scarlettbelle
Summary: Todd only wants Tea to have a healthy baby and a relationship with Carly. What possibly could go wrong?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

McPain, he did have to give his loser twin points for that moniker, had showed up on his doorstep to mysteriously proclaim,

"He knew what he'd done last summer."

Christ, he was such a cliche, he HAD actually done his unfortunate niece, Natalie, a favor by freeing her of him. Now that Captain America knew that Victor Jr., (and just WHAT WAS Tea thinking naming that kid Victor Lord Jr? She knew that the original was a monstrous pedophile that had ruined Vicki's life and by extension Jessica's, but oh, her loving fake Todd was Victor for five minutes so, Victor Jr. it HAD to be,) was Sam Morgan's child, John wouldn't stop until Tea knew her baby died the night of the storm. He owed Tea a live healthy baby.

Think, think Todd, THINK! But all he could presently do was feel. He could feel her punch as she lashed out at him last night. He could feel the hot wetness of her tears as they soaked through his shirt. He could feel the silk of her hair, like spun gold. He could still feel the heat of her hand where he'd held it like he had touched a hot stone. He could smell her perfume, something floral, subtle and French, linguring on his couch. Todd had to get out of this suite. He wanted only two things, Tea to have that kid and Carly.

Todd had finally admitted to himself how much he wanted Carly shortly after her "matchmaking" attempt. The realization that as he was licking his wounds from the latest Blair heartbreak he could be knocked off his feet by "a number seven" had shaken him to his core. He could barely process it, what with Crazypants and the Baby Killing Bastard monopolizing most of his time and energy. Then when Carly's lunatic brother in law poisoned the city, he discovered that Starr was safe, and was STILL scared out of his mind, partly out of self preservation but mostly because Carly had been exposed. He wanted to comfort her and to be her hero. He gathered the city's rich and raised the $88 million, which was STILL missing damn his forensic accountants they still couldn't recover it, to get the cure but also, to be her hero. Todd did not like for one second the way she still spoke of her not so ex husband, Jasper Jax, whom had abandoned his family when Corntoes had tried to kill him. If he were worthy of Carly and her children he would have taken Sonny out or with all of his money hired someone to do it for him, say oh, his sociopath big brother, Jerry. He got the distinct impression she felt she wasn't worthy or good enough for Jax, which made Todd hate him.

Todd may have been locked up and tortured for eight years but he still knew when a woman desired him. And since the crisis, Carly wanted him. He wasn't sure if she knew it herself. She had deluded herself into believing she was in love with that baby killer. But when she had helped him clean up the glass during the crisis, and their fingers touched a bit too long, when she leaned into his touch as he wiped her tears. When Todd had asked her to dinner at Johhny's apartment after the shooting, he knew she had wanted to come with him. And last night, when she trembled in his arms, he would bet the Sun that is when it hit her. Carly realized what her body had known all along. She wanted him as much as he wanted her.

After his realization he pushed her just to see her reaction. He asked her to sleep on his couch, in his pajamas. It felt so intimate to him. Watching her sleep, in his clothes, in his suite, albeit in her hotel. Speaking to her nanny about her little girl. Ordering her breakfast, the breakfast she eats every morning. Todd felt an amazing sense of peace sitting there sharing breakfast and discussing a little girl on her way to pre school. A peace he hadn't experienced in years. He didn't want her to leave, he wanted the feeling to last. To hell with work and hunting down Heather Webber, he was going to spend every second she would allow with Carly today. They watched a movie. And when she mentioned going home and showering he couldn't help it, his thoughts ran to her, naked in his shower. Todd knew that when he offered to scrub her back (and her front) she was turned on and seriously considering it. She was scared and conflicted about how she felt towards him, he could see that, and needed to deflect by blowing it off as him flirting with her to boost her ego.

Todd's panicked mind couldn't wrap itself around the fact that a day that had started out so well was turning into the day he had dreaded since Heather Webber had convinced him Sam Morgan was abandoning her baby and Tea should raise him. Tea had forgiven him for killing Victor because he gave her that healthy kid, although in fairness she did take him out of his arms. He had to find Heather and that kid and give him back to Tea before John got to Tea and before Carly found out about any of it. He wasn't going to lose what was developing between he and Carly because crazy Heather Webber had a grudge against Sam Morgan. He would tell Tea his private investigators found Heather, he got the kid and returned him to her. John could tell Tea anything but Tea, being a lawyer would demand a DNA test, and he could have those results changed. If Clint Buchanan could do it, he sure could too. See, it was coming together, Heather dead or jail, whatever. Tea with the baby permantly. And Carly, never had to know. Not a bad plan.

As he swung open the door to his suite, she stood there, fire and ice in her eyes. Tears streaming, for the second time in twenty four hours Todd was unexpectedly knocked on his ass.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_I deviated from all of the Heather on the roof, Jasam, dragged out hospital baby switch reveal. I just thought it was poorly done. So in my story. John tells Tea, Tea and Sam have the scene were they discuss the baby's likes and dislikes, that's that for the kid and Heather._

Carly had just spent twenty frustrating minutes discussing repairs with her contractor. An aging rock band had destroyed it during their one night gig in Port Charles. THANK GOD Todd had been at GH with her that night seeing to Johnny's gunshot wound or she never would have heard the end of it. The suite was adjacent to his and the ruckus had been loud enough to warrant several calls to the PCPD.

As she was walking away toward the elevator, memories of last night and this morning wash over her. The smell of his aftershave on his tee shirt she had slept on. His hands in her hair. The muscles in his arms and back under her hands as he comforted her over Johnny. The thoughtfulness he showed in checking in on Joss. His breath on her neck when he leaned down to tell her everything would be ok. And the look in his eyes when he offered her his shower, offered himself in his shower. She shivered thinking about it now. Startled by her own reaction, she had chalked it up to him making her feel desirable after Johnny's humiliation. They both knew that wasn't the case, Carly knew just how close she had come to succumbing to Todd's "back scrubbing." It unnerved her, made her jumpy but also made her want to walk around the corner and see if he was in his suite.

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a woman's hysterical wails. Carly immediately took out her universal key and ran towards the sounds. As she rounded the corner, she stopped in her tracks. He was wearing the same grey suit he had donned just this morning while she had slept in his tee shirt and pajama bottoms on the couch in his hotel suite. He was holding a slim brunette in his arms, touching her face and hair, softly murmuring comforting words to her. It was clear the hysterical crying had come from the open door of Toodd's suite. For that split second, and just 24 hours removed from the humiliation of finding out Johnny had married Connie, Carly was jealous! How could that be? She was still in love Johnny, she had just told Todd that that very morning.

As if sensing her, Todd looked up and saw his worst nightmare. Carly. Standing in the hallway, shock and something else written all over her face. He didn't want her to know any of this, he hadn't been able to spare Tea, he had naively thought maybe he could spare Carly from the truth.

Tea, after learning the truth from John and seeing Victor Jr. safely to his biological mother and determining the burial place of her child, left the hospital. She had one purpose, to find Todd. When he answered the door she did the first thing that came to her, she swung at him and hit him so hard he fell to his knees. Then she collapsed onto her knees in front of him and let all of the emotions that she had bottled up since finding out about the kidnapping, and even through John's gentle admission of what had happened, spill out. She wailed, screamed and finally just let Todd hold her and try to comfort her as she simply cried herself out. In the arms of the man she had loved and hated the most. The man that had left her pregnant on a deserted island and naked in a snowstorm. The man that had murdered her adoring husband. The man that had switched her dead baby for a live one. If he knew, did Heather trick him? Did he kill the child because he was Victor's? Tea didn't think Todd capable of THAT, but why had he covered up the baby's death unless he had some culpability? Answers would come later. She was exhausted, three days of no sleep, and the emotional tumult of the past four hours left her literally leaning on TODD MANNING!

Carly saw Todd gently pull the woman to her feet and while keeping his arms around her, turn her and lead her into his room, it was then she saw. The woman was his other ex wife, Tea Delgado! Carly was incredibly confused by the evening's events. What had brought Tea Delgado to town and sobbing into the arms of the man that killed her husband? Not just sobbing, Carly recognized this anguish, from Michael's shooting, this kind of pain and despair only came from losing a child. Carly's heartbroke for this woman and she rushed forward to help Todd, who looked lost and despondent, like a little boy.

Carly and Todd locked eyes as she walked into the suite where Todd had managed to sit Tea on the couch. She asked in a voice she hoped Tea couldn't hear,

"Is it Danielle? Is your daughter alright?" She shook him to get him to answer her, "Todd! Tell me what is wrong, what can I do, or who I can call?"

Carly grabbed a bottle of Pelligrino and walked to Tea,

"Tea, I'm Carly Jacks we've met before. Drink something and tell me how I can help you?"

"Call, Bo and Nora Buchanan in Llanview, Pennsylvania, please," Tea whispered, "Tell them to arrange for my baby to be exhumed and buried next his father."

Carly's eyes filled with tears as she nodded.

"Oh, and tell Nora that Todd not only killed my husband but he also killed my baby."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Carly shook Patrick's hand, thanked him again, wished he and Emma the best and stepped out of his office relieved but not really surprised. She knew; Todd, like Carly herself, was unapologetically capable of anything, except harming a child. Switching one, yes, he was capable of that, but had he? With Heather Webber dead would anyone but Todd ever know for sure? Still, she had to check, afterall, Tea knew him better after marrying him twice and bearing him a child. Patrick had bent the rules and explained the autopsy report to her. He told her there were absolutely no signs of foul play. The baby died of respiratory failure and even if he had been born in the hospital he most likely would not have survived.

As she walked to her car, she pulled out her phone and dialed Diane. After long minutes of assurances that this had NOTHING to do with Sonny, Diane agreed to meet her at the police station. After rambling on about a free ball gown from the Metro Court Boutique, Diane asked what this was about,

Carly simply replied, "Todd Manning."

Carly was still in shock. Or was she dreaming? Her life had always been unconventional and certainly, at times, tumultuous but the last few days just might take the cake. Three days ago she thought herself in love with Johnny Zacchara. And then she had attended Sonny's, what was it now, 25th wedding ceremony, only to discover the latest love of Sonny's life had not only been banging HER boyfriend for months but that they had eloped.

Then she surprised even herself when she instinctively ran straight to Todd Manning. For answers, to lash out at, and yes even for comfort. She had gotten so much more than she had bargained for. She had felt herself inexplicably drawn to Todd since he, while on the run, strolled into her hotel and introduced himself as, "Mr. Pleasure." It wasn't until that night and the next morning that she realized she not only identified with and liked him as a person but she was incredibly attracted to him as a man.

That evening still haunted her, she hadn't slept since the night on his couch. The events of the past days running together, a few snippets in time standing out:

_Tea, "Oh, and tell Nora that Todd not only killed my husband but he also killed my baby."_

_Todd, Standing apart, turned in on himself almost trying to fade into the wallpaper, shrinking before her eyes, unable to meet her eyes_

_Anna, "Your baby has been exhumed, Ms. Delgado."_

_Anna, "Mrs. Morgan's baby will be discharged tomorrow morning."_

_Todd, being handcuffed and led away by Anna._

_Sam, with her baby in her arms, with the glow only a new mother has._

_Jason, handing baby Daniel to Carly and telling her she had been right, "I loved him the minute I saw him, just like you said I would, he's mine."_

_Carly, herself taken aback by the baby's resemblance to Jason, more so than even Elizabeth's little Jake._

_Monica and Alexis, cooing over a child they thought lost to them forever._

_Edward, frail and visibly ill now, tearing up with pride when Monica placed the baby on his lap in the wheelchair_

_Jason, bending down to tell his grandfather the child would carry his name and Lila's maiden name._

Most haunting for Carly had been Tea, she had been sick with grief. She had literally worn herself out. After her directions to Carly, she stood up in Todd's suite, walked into his bedroom, laid down in his bed and according to John, had slept for eighteen hours straight. Grieving for the child that had kept her going after losing her beloved husband and grieving the child she had handed over to Sam. The child she had taken care of everyday of his life. He was now as dead to her as the baby buried in the Queen of Angels cemetery. More so perhaps, because she knew his smell, what his cries meant, his favorite toys, lullabies, she knew his weight in her arms. John and Bo Buchanan, the Police Commissioner in Llanview, had coordinated with Anna and the PCPD to track Heather Webber to Port Charles. Now they were working together to bring a little boy's body home to be buried next to the father that had died before finding out about him. The whole thing broke Carly's heart.

Carly couldn't prove it, and since Heather decided to do a belly flop off of the hospital helipad when her precious Steven Lars finally turned his back on her. They may never know for sure what happened. Todd had completely shut down, not speaking with anyone. Not proclaiming his guilt or innocence, not even requesting a lawyer. It was as though he too was grieving. Carly's gut nagged at her, maybe it was sleep deprivation but she just KNEW Todd had switched Tea's dead baby for Sam's live one. She knew he hadn't known Sam at the time. He, at the time, had had no grudge or ill feelings towards her. Todd wouldn't have just snatched her child no matter how desperate or panicked he may have been. No matter how much pain and grief he wanted to spare Tea. Heather, obsessed with hurting Sam had probably kidnapped Sam's baby, and probably sold him to Todd. Then blackmailed him into a job at the Sun. If that's what had happened, it was wrong and despicable. But given the history between Todd, Victor and Tea and taking into consideration Todd's misguided attempts at doing the right thing, also completely plausible. Carly found herself, shockingly, understanding why Todd would do this for Tea. Carly's gut wouldn't allow her to forget that, she too had kept a child from his biological parent, albeit out of a misguided belief it was in the child's best interests.

Todd dejectedly watched the squad room. He was so lost in thought of how screwed up his life once again was that he didn't notice the sudden frantic activity in the room. He had moved to Port Charles to escape the villagers with pitchforks that awaited him in Llanview following his acquittal for Victor's murder. After eight long years in captivity being tortured, drugged and brainwashed he had decided that he would never forgive himself for his sins. But he did feel like, at least in this life, he had paid for them. As for eternity, he knew he was damned. But he had decided he had lived with a dark cloud over him his entire adult life, Port Charles and Carly were going to be his clean slate. And even though he had had the best of intentions, giving Tea a baby, he had ruined everything. Just then, she strolled into the station like she owned it, and given her propensity for marrying mobsters, she pretty much did, all tan legs and golden hair. The older woman next to her dressed head to toe in Gucci exuded competence and steely intelligence AND she looked SO familiar...NO... it wasn't, IT WAS, Diane Miller! The gossip columnist he had fired the day he acquired the Sun because Heather made him.

Diane and Carly were shown into the interrogation room, like the VIP guests they pretty much were. Diane looked him up and down and up and down again. She had fully researched the Lord family when she found out who had purchased the newspaper where she had been the star columnist. She was well aware of the past arrests and convictions. But she had also heard of him well before he bought the local paper. His ex wife, Tea Delgado, had become famous for her $5 million dollar marriage to Todd Manning. In legal circles, marrying someone for the benefit of a custody case is now known as "a Delagado." He didn't look dangerous presently but she knew he was lethal. She was close to the attorney that had gotten him off for murdering his twin in cold blood last year. Her friend had recommended she take him on, saying he was difficult, brilliant, sardonic, acerbic, unapologetic and utterly fascinating. Diane was told he made no excuses for his crimes, he would deny them to law enforcement and his ex wives but he had no problem owning his crimes. So refreshing for defense attorneys used to hearing every excuse in the book. After Sonny, Diane could certainly use someone who, say wouldn't shoot their own child in the chest and then blame the kid for being a cop. And unlike Sonny, ALL of his money was lawfully obtained and from what she could quickly uncover after Carly had called, his funds FAR exceeded Sonny's. The billable hours were dancing in her head as she decided he needed Diane Miller, ESQ. Her only reservation, Carly. The way they were looking at one another, and the fact that Carly had called her on his behalf gave Diane pause. By her observant appraisal, if Todd Manning hadn't already spent significant time in Carly's bed he soon would. Diane had worked for all of Carly's men, it always led to her, charging triple to fix one of Carly's plans. On the other hand, Tea Delgado, she was sure to try and get appointed to this and Diane was intrigued by the other lawyer and would love to go up against her, to really stretch her legal legs. She had to give Todd Manning this, he didn't choose easy, uncomplicated women.

As she sat down across from Todd, Dante walked in for Carly,

"Carly, I need to speak with you, outside."

"Can it wait, Diane and I are here to work on getting Todd arraigned."

"It's an emergency."

Carly stood and walked behind Sonny's oldest son into a suddenly silent squad room.

"Carly, I didn't want to be the one to tell you, but Sonny is in no condition, Lulu is watching Emma for Patrick and someone, ugh, I thought we could talk to Michael together."

Panic rose over Carly in waves, she went outside herself, she saw herself standing in a squad room with Dante when the words finally reached her,

"Carly, Jason has been killed."

Todd saw from the window in the interrogation room, Carly went white in the face, screamed and collapsed in on herself like an accordion. Panicked he reached for the door to find it locked, he turned to his new attorney/former gossip columnist,

"What if I were to tell you who 'hypothetically' killed Anthony Zacchara and who 'hypothetically' killed my granddaughter." Todd uttered as he helplessly watched Dante, pick a hysterical Carly up off the floor and place her in the chair at his desk, "Plus, get a mentally ill woman the help she needs, do you think you could make a deal to get me out of here right now?"

"Well, your 'hypothetical' information will certainly grease the wheels of justice, but Anna Devane is deadset on putting you away," Diane mused, assuming the noise she'd just heard was another inmate,"it will probably take several days."

The intensity on his face actually made Diane back away from him.

"NO!" Todd screamed at her, "Now, today, this afternoon! I have to go to her! I have to take care of her!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sonny, after receiving the call from the men who had gone with Jason, could feel it coming. The darkness, the breakdown. His mind was going to shatter and he was powerless to stop it. All he could do was lock himself away to spare his family this one. He locked his living room doors and started drinking his expensive rum, straight from the bottle. When he finished the bottle, he threw it into his stone fireplace. And was so satisfied with the crash, he didn't stop until every piece of glass and crystal in the room had shattered. He took out his gun and shot out every window.

Max and Milo, heard the ominous sounds coming from the living room and called Jason only to receive his voicemail. They next called Carly whose phone also went directly to voicemail. Finally, Max reached Dante just after he had arrived at the location of the shooting and had been told the victim's identity. Frantic, Max explained what was happening in the other room. Dante immediately knew one of Sonny's men had already informed his father of his number two's fate. Obviously, Max and Milo were unaware of the events on the docks. Sonny always reserved his two most trusted bodyguards for his most delicate assignments which would currently be Kate/Connie. Dante walked away from the crush of detectives, crime scene investigators, EMT's and reporters to quickly fill Max in on what had happened. He asked him to tell him exactly what his father's present condition was and instructed him to do whatever was necessary to keep Sonny from harming himself or anyone else.

Dante learned John McBain had gone to inform Sam Morgan of her husband's death and Anna Devane had driven out to the Quartermaine estate to tell Monica her last living child had been killed. Dante knew Michael had to be told before he saw it on the news but he couldn't reach Carly. Dante didn't think he should be the one to tell Michael of his beloved father figure's death, and obviously Sonny was in no condition right now. He finally reached Carly's assistant at the hotel who couldn't reach her either but had heard her mention meeting her attorney at the police station.

An hour later, Dante found himself in an even bigger mess. After finding Carly and Diane Miller in the interrogation room with Todd Manning, he had told her. Now she sat at his desk half out of her mind rocking back in forth, crying and demanding to go to the crime scene. Carly insisted,

"To see Jason, that Jason couldn't be alone. Sam couldn't go now because of the baby."

Dante's intent had been for them to break the awful news to Michael, but Michael currently didn't have a completely sane parent.

On top of everything, Diane Miller had just informed him that she and the District Attorney had reached a deal in the Todd Manning case. In two hours, Manning would go before a judge for approval and immediate release. Oh, and he would be issuing an arrest warrant for John Zacchara and commitment paperwork for Constanza Zacchara.

While Diane and Dante discussed Todd's case, Carly stood up and marched out of the station. She got into her car and drove to the pier. She WAS going to be with Jason. She WAS going to make sure he wasn't alone. Carly, knew he was really gone, she felt it, bone deep. It felt as though she had lost a part of herself, an appendage. She felt cold, she didn't remember ever feeling colder. It wasn't that cool yet, and there was no wind. Still she shivered in her black dress. Warm hands touched her shoulders as she looked into Sonny's eyes. Dante had Sonny's eyes, had that ever really registered before? Sonny! She was so mad at him, this was his fault, if he were standing before her, she would have ripped him apart with her bare hands. There had been times she had been infuriated with him over the years but had she ever wanted real harm to come to him? No, not until this night. She wanted him in this harbor with Jason. Why should he be cozy and warm and barking orders to his men and romancing yet another brunette, when Jason was dead on an order from Sonny? She felt Dante lead her away after Anna told her they had to drag the harbor for him. It seemed like seconds later they were in front of Sonny's estate.

Dante had finally been able get Carly to leave the pier where the shooting had taken place. She had wanted to stay and accompany his body to the morgue. She didn't want her best friend to be alone. It finally registered that he wasn't there when Anna told her they had to drag the harbor and it could be hours or days before they recovered Jason. Dante needed Carly, he needed her to help him tell Michael and to handle Sonny. Sonny's compound was on lock down following the shooting. A dozen of his men patrolled the grounds. Dante, walked around the car and helped Carly out. He had become less and less sure this was a good idea the closer he got to his father's home. Carly seemed to be barely conscious. Could she really help Sonny? Tell Michael? Max and Milo were pacing the foyer when Dante walked in with Carly. Max quickly summed up the situation,

"He won't open the door. We can't get in from the back. He has shot out all of the windows and every time we try to come through he points his gun at us and promises to shoot."

"Ok, who is his therapist now?" Dante asked, unsure since Dr. Keenan's death.

"Dr. Sawyer," Carly interjected.

"Max, call Dr. Sawyer." Dante suggested, with his eyes on Carly too.

He took out his service revolver and shot the door open, assuming Sonny was less likely to take a shot at him than one of his men, even though he had shot him in the chest point blank. The blast must have shocked Sonny, because he simply looked up in surprise and half heartedly pointed his gun in Dante's direction. He lowered it and stared off into space. Carly rushed past Dante to reach Sonny. She had picked up a large broken off section of the crystal base to one of Sonny's lamps and swung it at him. With all of her strength. She wanted him to hurt, to bleed, to die. Dante saw out of the corner of his eye an object coming down towards his father. He had a half second to react. He reached out and deflected the heavy object Carly had intended to hit Sonny with. It simply grazed his temple, leaving a large bleeding gash.

Carly stood over Sonny, breasts heaving,

"I am glad Dante was here because you aren't worth going to prison over. I thought you deserved to die, you don't. You deserve to live the rest of your miserable life in a room like this, a broken man. Your mind shattered and never repaired. All of those times, that Jason and I picked you up and put you back together are the reason he is dead. If we had left you insane in a penthouse only capable of destroying yourself, only capable of killing yourself, Michael wouldn't have been shot in the head and been in a coma. You couldn't have married that bitch, Claudia who tried to steal my baby girl. Michael wouldn't have gone to prison. Jax's plane wouldn't have gone down, he would still be in town and at least be a co parent to Joss. And JASON WOULD BE ALIVE." She screamed at him pure hatred seeping from every pore.

She turned on her heal and walked out of Sonny's house for the last time. Her confrontation with Sonny seemingly the trigger that snapped her back to reality. She knew she had been out of her mind for a couple of hours but she was back now. Not whole, but well on her way. She just needed to grieve him alone, her way, before facing their families. She asked Milo to drive her to the Metro Court. She couldn't let Joss see her in this state. She didn't want to scare her perceptive little girl. She needed to pull herself together before seeing any of her children.

After checking with her desk manager, it was determined there were only two suites vacant. One was next to Todd Manning's. She took that one assuming he was still in jail. She didn't want to distrub any of her guests. She headed upstairs and after closing the door, decided maybe Todd and Sonny were onto something. She picked the crystal water pitcher up off of the desk and flung it at the nearest wall. Then proceeded to smash most of the glassware in the sitting room. It was hers and she needed the release. She was mad, mad at Sonny, mad at God, mad at herself and Sam for not pushing him to get out and stay out of the business. She was mad that someone was incessantly knocking at the door. AND THEY WOULDN'T STOP. She jerked open the door ready to fire whomever had intruded. The emotions that surged through her at the sight of him were so powerful and confusing she almost collapsed for the second time today.

Todd Manning stepped into a room whose destruction impressed even him and grabbed her to him. He knew what Jason Morgan had meant to her, even if he didn't understand it. He physically ached seeing her in this much pain.

She clung to him. Her wet, red rimmed eyes held his gaze. She wanted his warmth, she slowly unbuttoned another two buttons on his crisp dress shirt. She laid her head in the opening right there on the warm skin at the junction of his throat and chest. Carly felt the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and started counting when she reached ten, it hit her again like a sledgehammer. She remembered again. Jason. Dozens of times, Jason asking her to calm down and count to ten. Carly, looked up at Todd and matter of factly stated,

"I want you to take me to bed, NOW!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Todd looked down into her anguished eyes expecting, in her grief, that she had been seeing Jason or even, God forbid, Johnny. But he looked closer and her eyes were clear. He knew Carly was precisely aware of whom she had asked into her bed. Pretending to misunderstand, he picked her up, while side stepping the broken glass, he turned towards the bedroom,

"Alright, I know you haven't gotten any real rest the last few nights," he avoided her eyes as he put her down inside the bedroom, "I will stay here with you, all night."

"You are cold, do you want a bath before you go to sleep?" He started for the bathroom and continued

"I can call and have a late supper brought up."

Carly didn't bother to answer him. Instead she twinned one hand into the hair at the nape of his neck, causing a shiver to travel up his spine. Her tongue danced in his mouth, while her other hand pulled his shirt from his dress pants and caressed the muscles of his lower back.

Todd deepened their kiss and unzipped the skintight black dress that had so enthralled him as she walked into the police station earlier. When his fingers touched the bare skin of her waist he drew back. He bent his head until their foreheads touched,

"We can't do this."

She pulled away from him, and ignoring the fire that flared in her eyes, he continued,

"Not like this, don't get me wrong, I have every intention of taking you to bed. But, you aren't thinking clearly right now. You're grieving. I don't want you to wake up tomorrow and regret this or to think I took advantage of you. Took advantage of your grief."

He couldn't, he would hate himself in the morning, he wanted to do the right thing for her. Todd wanted to at least try and be a better man for her. She may feel slighted right now but he would still hold her, listen to her, feed her, make calls for her, keep those she wanted away from her... away, fly those she needed in. Since Olivia was still in the hospital, hire someone to run day to day operations at the hotel. Do whatever it took to help her through this time.

He took the zipper and started to zip the dress back up. Her hands, pushed his away. Carly's gaze never broke his as she, stepped away from him and silently shrugged the dress off of her shoulders. Down over her breasts, and shimmied it past her hips until it lay at her feet. She stood before him clad in her bra, panties and the knee high black leather boots she had just bought and worn for the first time today. She stepped out of the dress, walked toward him and looked up,

"I need you and your warmth, I am so cold thinking about him out there in that harbor. I need to feel something other than this cold fist choking my heart. I know exactly what I am asking of you. I know who I am in this room with, I know what I want. I want to forget everything outside of this room for a few hours."

With that, his noble intentions were lost. He would make love to her until she forgot everything outside the walls of this room. If she didn't want to feel anything he could make her feel only him. Todd walked her back until the back of her legs touched the edge of the bed, then pushed her down onto the soft duvet. Her golden hair spilled across the sheets, had he been this obsessed with a woman's hair before? He couldn't remember and presently couldn't think of anything but her. Carly clawed at his shirt wanting nothing more than his warm flesh against hers, he heard buttons pop and he stopped kissing her long enough to unbutton his cuffs, pull his arms out and fling it to the floor. She wanted her bra off, her cold stiff fingers couldn't seem to work the clasp. Noticing her frustration, Todd, gave up his exploration of her long smooth neck and gave her a hand, freeing her breasts. Carly didn't want an inch between them and for the rest of that night there wasn't.

**Noon the following day:**

Carly hurt! Her head throbbed in the way that only came on after a prolonged crying jag, her eyes were dry and scratchy, her knees were bruised from her collapse at the police station yesterday. A gash on her wrist stung from her battle with the glassware last night. Her feet hurt from her new boots, she had worn them over eighteen hours yesterday. It was well into their second bout, when Carly had stabbed Todd's left thigh, before he had removed them. And then there were the sweet pains, her lips bruised and swollen from kissing. Small nips and bites here and there. Her breasts, belly and inner thighs all bore the unmistakable stingy rash only caused by whisker burn. Her nipples raw and sensitive even against her luxurious sheets.

Carly and Todd had clashed together in a mating unlike any other of her life. It reminded her, in ways, of that first time with Sonny all those years ago. The difference being this had held no hint of hate or resentment. Todd held no bitterness towards her last night and she never felt as though he wanted a different woman beneath him (or on top of him). This had been pure lust, need and friendship. Carly suddenly realized this had been inevitable since they had met in the lobby of this very hotel. They had been two freight trains on a collision course for each other. They simply had had detours and stops along the way but when they did collide it had been with a force that terrified her. Scared her more even than she had been after that first time with Sonny.

At the thought of that night, Carly curled up and howled in physical pain, that had broken Jason. It had been the biggest mistake of her life. And she had known it the second it had happened. She, Jason nor Sonny had ever truly recovered. Her soul ached. For herself, for Michael, for little Danny and Sam, for Monica and Edward. She was upset but also relieved Morgan and Joss had never gotten that close to Jason. They certainly missed out on what an amazing man he was but they weren't suffering like the rest of them today.

Hearing her, he walked in from the sitting room were he had been overseeing the clean up. Carly realized that Todd must have returned to his suite at some point. He had showered, shaved and was dressed in a fresh suit. Seemingly reading her mind,

"I don't sleep, not much anyway."

She sensed there was much more to that subject but she let it drop. In this digital age, Carly was aware of most of his past. She could only guess what horrors awaited every night in his dreams. He told her that he had reached Starr. Starr agreed to keep Michael busy and away from his cell phone or any media until she or his father could tell him.

Carly then realized that they weren't going to speak about what had happened between them the night before. If it weren't for the clothes strewn about the room and the unmistakable marks her body bore she would almost believe she had dreamed the whole thing. Except for his eyes. His eyes now looked at her differently, with a certain possessiveness that again was reminiscent of Sonny. Unlike Sonny, Todd's eyes conveyed a certain pride. Possessive pride? Was that a thing? She had never before felt like any man had been proud to have her as their woman. She had been a stand in for their real love, a trophy, a burden, someone beneath their usual standards that they loved despite themselves. She had felt none were ever proud to have her. The feeling left her dizzy.

She laid back and thought about how she was going to break this news to Michael. God, she hoped he hadn't gone to Sonny's and tried to deal with his father's illness. In the light of day, Carly realized just how selfish her actions last night had been. She had been running all over the docks, trying to see his body, trying to maim or kill Sonny and having some of the best sex of her life. She should have pulled it together and told her son. Told him his first and true father was gone. What had she been thinking? As she started to get up, she heard a commotion in the sitting room. Carly barely had time to cover her breasts when her oldest child walked in, followed by Starr Manning.

Michael's red tear streaked face scanned his mother's hotel room. Her dress, lingerie, boots, a man's dress pants and shirt all strewn haphazardly around the room. The bed his mother was clearly naked in, had obviously not been used for sleep. Half of the blankets and duvet were on the floor, the other half tangled at the foot of the bed, only the sheet was keeping Carly decent from her sudden audience.

"While you were fucking a RAPIST," Michael shouted at his mother, "Jason was killed."

.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It was just after dawn before Dante left General Hospital. He had committed his father for a preliminary psych evaluation. It was the first step to Shadybrook. Dante never dreamed that both of his parents would be on the psych ward within months of each other. He knew his father had had numerous breakdowns but that he had never had in patient treatment. Jason and Carly always took care of him at home. Those days were over, his father was a danger to himself and was going to receive proper psychiatric care.

As Dante walked up the steps to Starr Manning's apartment he felt his throat tighten. Max had taken control of security shortly after the shooting. He had located all of Sonny and Jason's loved one's and had posted guards. With a phone call, Dante found out where all of his siblings were. The petite blonde that answered the door had clearly not gotten any sleep and had obviously heard of the previous night's tragedy.

Starr silently motioned Michael's brother into the apartment. She knew he had come to break the news of Jason Morgan's death to his brother. Her father had reached her just before the 11 o'clock news the night before and asked her to keep Michael in the dark until Carly could personally tell him. Todd had also mentioned a rumor going around his newsroom that Sonny Cornithos was in the grips of one of his infamous mental breakdowns. He couldn't yet confirm it but told Starr to be aware. Unbeknownst to her, Todd had sent two bodyguards to his daughter's apartment in the off chance the rumors of Sonny's breakdown were true. He didn't relish the thought of his daughter in close proximity to a deranged mob boss.

Starr and Dante sat at her bar silently drinking coffee, waiting for Michael to wake up. Neither being terribly close to Jason, they were entirely focused on Michael and his reaction. The first thing Michael noticed upon waking was a familiar male voice. He wondered if it was Todd Manning. Starr had acted incredible strange the night before, ever since the phone call from her father. Michael was so angry at him for his alleged part in the baby switch. But Starr, after visiting him in jail had been very forgiving of her father. Michael wondered just what he had confided to his daughter that had put her mind at such ease.

Walking out of the bedroom, looking into his eldest sibling's face he knew. Something terrible had happened. Their father! Sonny had been killed. Dante was here to tell him their father was dead. Dante, rose from the stool, walked towards his brother, aware that he was expecting bad news and took him by the shoulders,

"Michael, there was a shootout on the docks last night."

"I knew it!" Michael screamed,"Dad is dead."

"No. no Michael, Sonny is safe." Dante paused, realizing that Michael had prepared himself for the awful news that Sonny had been killed, not his indestructible hero.

Dante had to continue,

"Jason was shot, he was wounded pretty badly and fell into the water." Dante continued, though all of the air was suddenly sucked from the room,

"The Coast Guard have been searching all night, they can't find his body, although with the morning tide they are more hopeful."

It was then that it hit Michael, he stood in the middle of Starr's living room in his brother's arms and sobbed. Dante was lost. He couldn't believe he had had to tell the people who loved Jason the most of his death. As a police officer, he had told scores of victim's loved ones they were never coming back but it had never touched home like this.

Finally, Michael pulled away and asked about his parents. Dante had been prepared to tell him about Jason, he had not been prepared to tell him about their father.

"Your mother decided to spend the night at the Metro Court." Milo had driven her there after her confrontation with Sonny.

"What about Dad?" Michael inquired,"Does he need any help? I know enough about the business to help him right now, he has to let me."

Dante truly didn't know how much Michael knew of their father's illness. He delicately said,

"Michael, Sonny, when he found out, suffered a breakdown." Watching Michael closely, Dante continued, not sure how well he would take the next news he had to deliver,

"He has been hospitalized, they are going to evaluate him for 72 hours and then we will go from there. He will likely be referred to Shadybrooke for a short period."

Michael, couldn't believe his ears, his mother was hiding out at her hotel and his brother had their father institutionalized. And Jason was dead.

He raced out of the apartment, the Metro Court and his mother his destination. She had to be crazed with grief herself. He could help her through this. He felt Starr, tug on his arm and say,

"I will drive."

Dante knew that Michael needed to be with Carly, he needed to be Lulu. Lulu had gone to stay with Emma when Maxie went to comfort Spinelli. The last twelve hours finally catching up to him.

**Metro Court**

"I don't pay you to understand my orders," Todd barked,"I pay you, very handsomely might I add, to simply follow them."

He had gone around and around with his Metro editor over the Jason Morgan story. The biggest mob murder on the east coast in years was within walking distance of their offices. Every writer, photographer, hell, even every blogger at his paper wanted in on the story. For once, Todd Manning didn't want to sensationalize a story. Todd couldn't believe it himself. He was turning into Vicki and turning the Sun into the Banner. And the reason was laying spent, exhausted and heartsick in the next room.

They had made love three times, something Todd hadn't done in at least ten years. He was surprised, at his age, he still had it in him. He could thank his mother's imprisonment for something. But it had exhausted her, she slept soundly. Around dawn he had gotten up and dressed in one of the hotels spa robes, went next door to his suite, showered, shaved and dressed for the day in a fresh suit. Wishing to spare her any gossip, he went to her office and asked her young assistant for a change of clothes. Then he had Alicia, Carly's assistant contact the night manager, who was just leaving for the morning and asked him to send up a cleanup crew to the room they had shared the night before.

Not wanting to leave her, Todd picked up his laptop, set it up next door and began the massive task of sorting through the dozens of emails that needed his attention, the ones his assistant had culled from the hundreds he actually received. Not to mention the voice mails that he personally had to return. Most concerned the Morgan case. The story had broken too late in the evening to make the morning edition. But his online editor had posted the story on the newspaper's website as soon as it had been confirmed it was Jason Morgan. Today, was going to be a feeding frenzy, and every reporter wanted a piece.

Todd was just hanging up the phone when he heard her wails. He rushed into the bedroom. Carly was curled up, sobbing, the sheet covering her had fallen to her waist showing off her gorgeous breasts. Showing the marks he had left on her body. Did she regret it? Had he hurt her? He didn't think so, she had seemed eager, even taking control and setting the pace at times. But she had marks on her gorgeous smooth tan skin, marks he had left on her and she was sobbing. He was frozen, as she calmed she looked him over. Noticing his fresh suit, he said by way of explanation,

"I don't sleep, not much anyway."

Carly didn't make a move to cover herself, completely comfortable in her skin. She was studying his eyes, Todd was afraid that he had frightened her with his inspection of her curves and the evidence left from their activities. Afraid his intensity of feelings for her would scare her off. He never wanted another man to see her naked. She didn't know it but she was his now and he was hers. They had branded each other, he with his lips and teeth and she with that damned stiletto that had punctured his thigh.

He had compiled a file on all of Carly's husbands. She seemingly had had this effect on all of them. She had even broken Sonny's strange brunette fetish. The more he read up on them and their marriages to her the more jealous he had gotten.

He had felt these intense emotions for Tea and Blair, but it had been different for each woman. He had known both Blair and Tea much longer before it materialized. Tea, had been almost an angel to him. Motherly, even, the way she had cared for Starr and tried to heal him. Their passionate natures; however, had turned toxic and at times, they had been dangerous to the other's psyche. They pushed each other to the very edge. He had kept her on such a pedestal that though he had desired her more than she had ever known, he couldn't bring himself to make love to her, ultimately dooming them.

And Blair, he always thought she was his soul mate. If he was honest with himself now, he had never truly looked at her the same way since he had returned from Ireland. Patrick, Max, hell even Asa had tarnished her. Todd believed that her relationships with those other men was why he never had issues taking her to bed. She was the other side of the his coin, just as devious, underhanded and ruthless as he. Todd also, though he had tried, still couldn't get over the fact that he had fought for eight long years to return to her and their children. While she had accepted his imposter twin into her bed, let him raise their children, married him twice and never doubted that he was an imposter. Not until this last summer and her admission of her engagement to Tea's brother Tomas, had he realized that he would love her forever, but it also was truly over forever.

Breaking out of his trance, Todd told her that he had reached Starr and she was going to keep Michael away from his phone and the television until she or Sonny could tell him in person. Carly, was incredibly touched again at his thoughtfulness in regards to her children. She had decided she had hidden out long enough and had to face the day, had to face everyone. As Todd was handing her one of the plush hotel robes they both heard voices and within seconds her eldest child was standing before her, with Todd's daughter. His heart broken, he lashed out,

"While you were fucking a RAPIST," Michael shouted at his mother, "Jason was killed."

Starr and Michael walked into Carly's office suite. They were met by her young, pretty and incredibly efficient assistant, Alicia. She told Michael how sorry she was for his loss, and that she would be available for whatever the family might need during this difficult time. Michael, remembering that Abby and Alicia had taken classes together and how gracious and non judgmental Alicia had been of Abby's dancing, thanked her warmly for her kind words. Asking if she had heard from his mother, she said she had not but that her friend, Mr. Manning, had come and gotten the change of clothes that Carly always kept in her office. Apparently, she had been too distressed to go home last night. Thanking her again, they left and headed for Starr's father's suite.

Starr knew her father had been acting awkward and strangely possessive of Carly following Blair's latest visit. But it never occurred to her until now that they may have become lovers in the aftermath of the John Zacchara fiasco. Starr held her tongue, thinking Michael, aware of Todd's past would not take kindly to a romance between them. Hell, she had been so prepared for her parents reconciliation, before the world fell apart, that she wasn't sure how she herself would feel about it. She shook that thought off as it was entirely out of character for her father. Most likely they were working on a business deal together and had developed a friendship. From what Michael had told Starr of his mother she was not a judgmental woman and if she had accepted her father, he would feel protective of her and whatever friendship they had developed.

Reaching the door to his suite, Starr took out the key card Todd had given her and opened the door to find the room completely empty. As though he hadn't even slept there. They turned and walked out into the hall past the suite next door whose door was wide open as housekeepers and handymen were working to clean up a mess in the sitting room. Michael heard from inside the room, his mother's voice. Rushing in, careful not to disturb the workers he followed her voice to the bedroom, where the door was not fully closed. Then he saw him! Starr's father. Michael rushed further into the bedroom to find his mother clearly naked in a rumpled bed while Todd Manning stood over her holding out a hotel robe for her to put on. Michael caught just a glimpse of his mother's left breast before she covered herself.

Michael felt the blood pounding in his temples, he was actually stunned silent as he took in the room. He said the only thing that came to him,

"While you were fucking a RAPIST," Michael shouted at his mother, "Jason was killed."

Shock, pain, grief, anger, yes real anger all flashed across Carly's face at his words. Michael felt Starr tugging at his arm,

"Lets give them some privacy."

He then felt Todd Manning's strong arm pressed against his neck. Holding him against the opposite wall, Michael still in shock didn't see him coming or have time to react.

"I AM a rapist, my father was a pedophile," Todd growled, "I am also a lying manipulative son of a bitch. If you can think of it, I have probably done it. BUT that has absolutely nothing to do with your mother, you can lash out at me all you want." Todd loosened his hold on the grieving young man,

"You WILL NOT attack your mother!"

Todd let him go, and Michael swung at him, Todd, not as emotional, and expecting it easily deflected him.

"She doesn't deserve your derision. She is grieving just as much as you are."

Todd continued when Michael had calmed,

"Apologize to her, NOW!"

Michael was in utter shock at the older man's confessions. He had made no excuses, nor deflected the blame. He had squarely taken Michael's insult, but insisted, no demanded he treat Carly with respect. Michael, remembering a time when Jason had done the exact same thing, muttered,

"I'm sorry!"

And started crying again, though trying to stifle his sobs in front of Starr's father.

Carly, forgetting her state of undress, started to rush for him. Starr, stopped her. She picked up the robe her father just minutes before had been assisting Carly into. Holding the robe out to Carly she helped her out of the bed she and her father had clearly spent the night making love in. That shook her. Though her mother had had many lovers, her father never had. Only his second wife, Tea.

Carly, raced to Michael, holding him and rocking him in her arms. Just as she had when he had fallen and scrapped his knee as a child. They cried together, Carly apologized for not telling him, implored him not to go to Sonny's. She, unaware of the commitment, told him only his therapist could help him now. That they had to be strong for Sam, Danny, Monica and Edward. Edward especially would need Michael in the following days. Carly was certain, Monica and Tracey would take every precaution with his fragile health, but having Michael around always lifted his spirits.

Todd returned to the bedroom after receiving a call from his metro editor. He gently pulled Carly and Michael apart, looked her in the eyes, silently asking. She knew. And she nodded her consent for Todd to tell Michael. The divers had located and positively identified Jason's body.

It was time, they would all come together to memorialize a complicated man who had lived an unconventional and criminal life but who was loved by all that had known him. Who had lived with one foot in the high society world that came with being one of the last Quartemaine heirs and the dangerous and seedy underworld of organized crime. Then the real work would begin, picking up the pieces of their lives shattered by the loss of one man.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Edward Quartemaine walked alone into Todd Manning's office with only the aid of a sturdy cane. It was the first time in many months he had been seen in public without a wheelchair. He introduced himself and showing the sharp mind that had built an empire looked Todd straight in the eye,

"I knew your farther he was one twisted son of a bitch, are you?"

"A son of a bitch? Yes." Todd stated matter of factly.

"He was also brilliant but do you share his proclivities?" Edward was blunt, wanting to judge the younger man's reactions.

"No," Todd answered, "I am many things, a pedophile is not among them."

"I am here so you will write up the obituary correctly, your paper has done a fine job of not focusing on Jason's, um, later years," he emphatically stated, "the Quartermaines are reclaiming him."

He continued sadly,

"That pretty wife of his is still in denial."

With that he seated himself in one of Todd's visitor's chairs and started outlining an obituary fit for a royal prince. When published it would most effectively warn all "business associates" away. Jason, in death was no longer Jason Morgan, he was once again Jason Quartermaine.

Edward looked at the only son and heir of one of his old business rivals, publishing magnet Victor Lord. Edward had never liked the man personally but they had, through the years, maintained a mutually beneficial truce. Victor even sat on ELQ's board for many years. It wasn't until after the man's death that he learned what a monster he had really been. The man that sat before him reminded him nothing of Victor at that age, in looks or demeanor. That surprised him, as his daughter Victoria, whom Edward had known and respected greatly for decades looked a lot like their father. But neither of the children he had met, Vicki nor Todd, despite Todd Manning's criminal past, possessed that cold dead look behind the eyes that Victor Lord had. They both exuded intelligence, which obviously came from Victor. He remembered that wife of his had not been the sharpest knife in the drawer. Edward had never met the mistress that bore Todd, but it was rumored she was as ruthless as the old man. Looking now at their son, he believed it. Edward, who had a few children outside his marriage, was certainly in no position to judge Victor. But he had been astounded when he had heard of an inheritance Edward wasn't sure any of his legitimate children would receive let alone his illegitimate ones.

Todd, looking over the obituary thought of Carly, would she be pleased? He marveled at the cunning mind of the old man in front of him. He knew that the patriarch had his share of scandals and illegitimate children. Still there was true love, warmth and grief within this man. Todd couldn't help but wonder how different not only his own but also Vicki's life would have been if their own father had been like Edward Quartermaine instead of the sick monster they had, Tina, eh, she would have turned out the same either way.

When he was satisfied with the final layout, Edward rose and started for the elevators. Todd jumped up and as he reached him in the lobby of his office Todd noticed Edward's strength starting to wain.

He helped the old man to the elevator and stepped onto it with him.

"Are you going home or to the ELQ'S offices?"

"Home, we have family arriving for Jason." even Edward's voice was weaker now.

"There is a car waiting, Carly, my great grandson's mother, owns this hotel, she allowed my driver to double park and wait for me while we met."

At the mention of her name, he started. Of course, she had been married to AJ Quartemaine. Now that Todd was back in Diane Miller's good graces and she had discovered just how deep his pockets were, they had spent the morning compiling files on Port Charles' newsworthy families. The Quartermaines, Webbers, Spencers, Scorpios, and the infamous Cassadines. He stepped off of the elevator with the old man, his arm cupping Edward's elbow. He wanted to take his arm or put his arm around him but he knew Edward was still very proud so he satisfied himself with keeping one hand beneath his elbow ostensibly to guide him but it would allow Todd to catch him if he went down. As they walked toward the exit he saw her. He stopped himself and Edward Quartermaine dead in their tracks. He hadn't seen her since the morning after their night together. He knew her family needed her so he had just left her a couple of voice mails.

They stood across the lobby from each other a dozen people between them and held each others gaze for too long. Carly knew she shouldn't go to him, not after her promise to Michael, she told herself it was to give her condolences again to Edward and see him safely to his car. She walked toward Edward and Todd and leaning down kissed Edward's cheek.

"Did your meeting go well?" Carly had been incredibly curious why Edward wanted to meet with Todd Manning alone. She hadn't asked him when he arrived earlier because she had been taken by surprise at the old patriarch's revitalized health. Edward wasn't in a wheelchair, his color had been excellent, he looked like the Edward of old. Now she could tell he had overdone it, he needed to rest.

"Very well, I must be off. We are expecting Ned, Dillon, Skye, and Brooklyn, God help us."

Todd and Carly walked the proud man to his car and his waiting driver, after depositing him inside he was off.

Todd put his arm around her as they started back into the lobby,

"How are you? I wanted to see you but I knew with Sonny's breakdown and all of the arrangements you would need to be with your family."

Carly relished his touch, she realized she had missed it and had been needing it but she couldn't encourage him not now,

"I am OK, Sonny is Alexis' and Dante's problem now. I don't want my children having to deal with his insanity."

Carly continued as he grabbed her hand and began rubbing it and interlacing their fingers, in the middle of her lobby. She WAS going to stop him but no one would notice just that and it felt SO right,

"Sam is the one we are most concerned about, she hasn't accepted it." Carly continued as they approached the elevators,

"She wont go see him, I don't blame her but something has to snap her out of this denial."

She continued to ramble as they stepped onto the elevators,

"Michael told me Starr moved into your suite with you."

She had been rambling to continue their conversation, to not break their contact, what she didn't expect was his mouth and hands all over her the second the elevator doors closed. She moaned into his kiss and ran her hands up his back, but it didn't feel right through his suit jacket. Their tongues clashed, dueled for supremacy and Carly won. She took control of their kiss while Todd took her rear end in his hands and lifted her up against the back wall. Her legs naturally hugged his hips. The ding of the elevator broke their embrace. She tore her lips away as he lowered her gently to the ground and made sure she was sturdy on her four inch heels before stepping away. Of course, no one was there when the doors opened. But the moment had come, Carly had to tell him before she lost herself in him again,

"We can't see each other again."

Ignoring the pain and anger that flashed across his face,

"I promised Michael."

**3 Days Ago**

Starr and Todd had left Michael and Carly to absorb the news that Jason really was gone together.

Michael finally looked up at his mother and again apologized for insulting her. He gently asked her if she had been aware of Todd Manning's past. Had he hurt her in any way? Carly looked at her son and realized he had been concerned for her safety. He was really worried that Todd had hurt her.

"Michael, I had an admitted killer in my hotel. Of course I did a background check on him. I found out all of it. He has committed horrific crimes, he has paid for them and he readily takes responsibility for them. I don't feel unsafe with him. I don't feel unsafe with him around my children or guests. But if you are uncomfortable with me being involved with him, I won't see him again. You are my child, you come first."

"I don't want you to see him again."

"Alright, Michael."

**The Metro Court**

Starr was in a foul mood she truly didn't know just how much more she could take. In the last week, her father had been arrested for switching her dead cousin with a live baby. In doing so, he broke her beloved former step mother's heart with not only the news of her child's death but Tea had bonded with the child Todd Manning had given her and was now mourning the loss of that baby too. She hadn't been this angry with her father since his part in her Uncle Victor's murder had come to light. Then her boyfriend's uncle and father figure had been killed, Michael and she had found his mother in bed with her father and Maxie Jones had filed for divorce and wanted her apartment back leaving her homeless.

She stood outside her father's door. She knew he would gladly let her stay. It was starting to seem to Starr Manning that she was a magnet for tragedy. Those around her were suffering terrible tragedy after terrible tragedy. Jason Morgan's loss had seemingly hit the entire town hard. And had apparently propelled Michael's mother, Carly, into her fathers bed. They had walked in on them! She still couldn't believe it! Todd had never embraced the idea of a relationship between Michael and her. But since they had barged in on that intimate scene and Michael had brought up the Spring Fling, demanded his mother never see Todd again AND Carly had agreed. Starr knew Todd REALLY would have no use for her new boyfriend.

Starr was still surprised that they had discovered their parents together. She had never known her father to have a lover besides her mother or her step mother. It unnerved her, she knew he must have real, deep serious feelings for Carly and when Todd felt deeply he could be dangerous. She especially feared for Michael. She knew Todd was unaware of Michael's demand that his mother not see him again. She believed the one thing that would save Michael from his wrath was that he was Carly's son, at least she hoped that was the case. Starr had observed her father the past few days and noticed him markedly happier. That worried her even more. With the potential fallout nagging at the back of her mind, Starr began to dress for Jason Morgan's funeral.

The church was magnificent. It truly was fit for a royal funeral. Edward had taken charge of all of the funeral plans as Jason's widow, Sam, was still in denial. She said it was a waste of time and money when Jason would be back just as soon as he could safely make it home. She refused to acknowledge the body in the casket and refused to attend the funeral or the wake. Alexis, whom had been appointed Sonny's guardian ad litem was seriously considering having her daughter admitted to Shadybrook.

There was no hint of the mob presence that had swallowed Jason during his adult life. The only disruption to the serene service were the reporters outside the church. Carly sat in the front pew, opposite the Quartermaine contingent. Looking around Carly thought how much Jason would have hated everything about it. She realized funerals aren't for the dead, that they are to comfort those left behind and if this is what Monica and Edward needed to heal then Jason would have understood. She looked over at Monica and although a day didn't go by that Carly didn't thank God that AJ's black heart was rotting in hell, she couldn't fathom the pain of burying your last living child.

Carly saw him then, as she turned back, on the Quartermaine side, three quarters of the way back, looking directly at her. Todd. She hadn't seen him since that morning in the elevator. Her face got warm and her lower belly tightened thinking of it now. She remembered his face when she had told him she was choosing to not see him again. He had turned cold and shut down on her. She explained that Michael had been raped in prison and was still healing. She was trying to respect his wishes. Carly had assured him it had NOTHING to do with him. But she had lost him, he had withdrawn not only physically but emotionally. It left her feeling cold. He walked off of the elevator into his office and out of her life. But the way he was looking at her now was not cold, it was full of heat and longing. It would have been sexy in a dark nightclub at midnight but it was positively obscene in a church at three in the afternoon. Carly turned back. There was murmuring at the back of the church.

As the choir started, the last person to walk up the aisle to the Quartermaine pew, was AJ Quartermaine..


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Edward had taken the news of Jason's death better than anyone imagined his doctors, his daughter, and his daughter in law included. He immediately had taken charge of all arrangements and in general had become the Edward of earlier years. He had planned the entire funeral as Jason's widow would not accept her husband's death. Monica, Jason's mother, seeing how having this grim project had revitalized Edward's health allowed him free reign. But within two hours of AJ's resurrection, the pandemonium that followed, Jason's entombment in the family crypt with his grandmother, father, sister and supposedly his brother and finally Aj's arrest in the foyer by Dante as Anna had been called away. Edward had retired to the bedroom he had shared with Lila and gone to sleep forever.

Carly was in Monica's drawing room sparing with Skye over AJ's arrest,which had occurred just minutes before, when Alice walked into the room grim faced. She whispered to Monica, who was currently on the phone with Diane Miller arranging for Diane, who was in New York and had not attended the service, to return that night to Port Charles on the Quartermaine jet. Whatever Alice told Monica had turned her face as white as a sheet and caused her to drop the phone into its cradle and rush from the room.

Carly knew Monica wasn't skilled in the hysterics and theatrics the other Quatermaines took pride in mastering. Whatever had propelled Monica from that room was serious. Assuming it had to do with the arrest of back from the dead AJ, Carly returned to her conversation with Skye,

"So you are Todd's substitute Blair." Skye quipped, "You are certainly younger I'll give you that."

"Well you have been the Quartermaine's substitute Emily for YEARS." Carly murmured.

When all hell had broken loose at the church following AJ's appearance, Skye had taken one look at how Todd had defended Carly to AJ. arched a perfect brow and realized they were lovers. Her great shock at seeing AJ back from the dead had been temporarily replaced by the greater surprise at seeing Todd Manning, of all people, in Port Charles AND obviously involved with Lorenzo's ex wife.

Todd never one to be shocked speechless picked up just were they had left off ten years before,

"So you're a Quartermaine now? THAT has to be a relief to the Chandlers, are you going to attempt to be a Buchanan next?"

"I AM a Quartermaine!" Skye, retorted while Monica with Ned's help tried to get the ceremony back on track, "Alan Quartermaine adopted me!"

"Poor bastard, he didn't have the greatest luck with children did he?" Todd continued as Carly smirked her approval, "A fugitive, a gangster and you."

Monica had convinced Anna that all would be explained regarding AJ's sudden reappearance but that for Edward's sake, to allow the ceremony to continue, then Anna could handle AJ after the service. Anna, feeling a great deal of sympathy for Monica had agreed, with the stipulation, AJ would sit with her and ride in an unmarked car to the entombment then be taken into custody.

The funeral, entombment and wake had gone off beautifully following the disruption. Michael had insisted, despite Carly's objections on accompanying his biological father to the police station. That fueled Carly's foul mood and she turned her rage at the situation even more to Skye. Skye had been taunting her and had found her greatest insecurity, Blair.

Carly was incredible close to lunging for Skye's red hair when a scream was heard in the foyer. Everyone rushed out of the drawing room and into the foyer in time to see the venerable Tracey Quartermaine holding a man's bathroom to her chest and sobbing hysterically on the bottom step as Ned and Dillon attempted to comfort her. Carly KNEW. Only one event would reduce Tracey to this, Edward was dead. Monica, walked down the steps, slowly and deliberately, a lifetime of medical experience not able to prepare her for this. She bent and whispered to Tracey and Ned, Ned stood and walked slowly, suddenly stooped, up the famous Quartermaine staircase.

Monica faced her guests with tears streaming down her face and displaying the thirty years of professionalism announced,

"Edward has passed away." She took a deep breath and continued, "He just went to sleep, there is no sign he was in any pain."

"He simply went to be with Lila."

At that, every guest in that house burst into tears. Whether they had liked the old patriarch or not, every person in that house respected him and admired him.

Carly was in a state of shock. She leaned back into the plush leather seat of the car she had drive her most places and went over the day's events in her mind. AJ ALIVE! It simply couldn't be, yet she had seen him, spoken to him, sparred with him. And Edward was dead. Something about Edward's death nagged at her, she respected the old man immensely. His cunning mind was almost Spencer-like. But Carly couldn't shake the ominous feeling that accompanied thoughts of his death. Edward had taken the news of Jason's death so well, Tracey and Monica had been astounded, he had rebounded, he had been seen all over town making funeral arrangements. How did he go from THAT to dead within two hours. Dead within hours of AJ's miraculous return from the dead. Had AJ hurt the old man?

With Jason gone, Edward's will would be wide open. The timing of his return was more than a little suspicious. Ned, Edward's natural heir had shunned ELQ many years before, Edward would never have trusted Dillon or Skye, the Wards were rumored to only inherit real estate and none of the great grandchildren would ever have a chance. It had long been rumored that Jason was to be ELQ's heir regardless of his lifestyle, the thought being ELQ would sever his criminal ties. With Jason dead, did AJ think he could contest the will and take over?

Carly was lost in thought as they pulled up to the Metro Court and didn't snap out of her daze until the valet opened the door and gave her his hand. She was on her way before her thoughts were fully formed in her mind. She needed to see him. Now.

Carly stood at his door, she could hear movement inside the spacious suite, she knew Starr was at the police station with Michael. She ran her fingers over the universal key again and again, contemplating, knowing this was a bad idea, she had promised Michael. The hell with it, she knocked lightly, Todd opened the door almost instantly. It was as though he knew she was there. He was still wary of her, of them after their conversation in the elevator but he had staked his claim when her long thought dead ex husband had shown up at Jason Morgan's funeral.

"I have a few things I need to work out in my mind and I can't tell anyone from Port Charles unless I am sure." She just let it all out in a tumble of words.

"OK, Starr isn't here." He stepped aside to let her in.

"I know, she went with Michael to the police station to support AJ when they arrested him." Carly seethed.

"If Sonny weren't already in a catatonic state, I imagine THAT would do it." Todd smiled at her.

"You have no idea." She giggled despite herself, thinking of Sonny or Jason's reaction to the afternoon's events.

Todd grabbed her hand and led her to his couch, he couldn't help it, he wanted to sit next to her. He wanted to feel the heat of her body next to his. Carly had been crying. He could tell when he looked into her eyes. Her nose was red from being blown too many times. In his lust for her, he had forgotten she had buried her best friend today.

Carly couldn't stop herself. She turned into him, she laid her head on his shoulder and felt his arms come around her. Felt his hands travel up and down her back. Carly reached up and ran her fingers over his scar, with that Todd lost control. He pulled her face to his and kissed her long and hard. Carly reveled in their kiss, needed it. She had needed it since he had almost taken her against the wall of the elevator in this hotel.

Todd's heart sank when he felt Carly pull away from him and stand up. He had forgotten for a few minutes her promise to her son. Then he felt her tugging at his hand. Todd looked up to find she had shrugged the suit jacket to her mourning dress off and had kicked her shoes away. Carly's face was filled with the lust he had been lucky enough to see on a couple of occasions. She wanted them to retire to his bedroom.

Carly led him to the master bedroom of the suite, when they were inside she laughed when she heard him firmly shut the bedroom door and lock it. She sat on the edge of the bed where he slept every night and hitching her skirt up, slowly rolled her thigh high stockings down each leg. Todd had started on his shirt when he had caught that sinful sight and abandoned the shirt altogether. He kneeled down in front of her and reaching beneath her dress pulled her panties all the way off. Carly knew then there would be no preliminaries, at least not this time. She felt his clothed body fully cover hers and a delicious shiver ran up her body.

It was later, when they had undressed each other and made love slowly and thoroughly, when they lay in Todd's enormous bed that Carly began talking. She told him of Edward's death and her theory of AJ and the will. She didn't want to go to Monica or Tracey right now. Carly and Todd decided her best recourse was to reach out to Anna, discreetly.

They were talking about how Todd was going to handle AJ's resurrection in tomorrow's Sun when they heard voices, and raised voices at that coming from Todd's sitting room. Looking at each other like two teenagers about to get caught by their parents, they hurriedly dressed and tried to come up with a feasible story why Carly would be in Todd Manning's bedroom with just got fucked hair.

They swung open the door expecting to face their irate children, Michael in particular, instead they faced the shocked and then angry face of Todd's first ex wife, Blair Cramer.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Blair Daimler Cramler was mad and more than a little fed up with the little concierge that refused to give her a key to Todd's suite. HER daughter was living there, she had every right to gain entrance to that room. It wasn't as though she was trying to see HIM! But the short French concierge that Carly employed held his ground. She knew the suite number from the times she had phoned Starr so ignoring the little Frenchman, she started for the elevators. She would simply knock on Todd's door and let the chips fall where they may. This startled Henri and he hurriedly followed the tall slim woman entering the elevator just as the doors closed. As the elevator ascended, Henri again tried reasoning with Mr. Manning's ex wife, he being one of the employees that worked closest to Mrs. Jacks knew that she and Mr. Manning had begun an affair. Henri did not wish for her to be embarrassed in any way, he genuinely cared for her and all of the employees of the Metro Court were well aware of her recent loss.

"Please, allow me to try phoning the suite." Henri suggested as the elevator reached the desired floor.

The ex Mrs. Manning had not wanted anyone to phone the suite earlier and had in fact insisted no one call her ex husband's suite. She made it clear that she was here to see her daughter, not her ex husband. Henri had met Mr. Manning's other ex wife, Tea and so far, he far preferred her to this pushy lanky provincial blonde.

Blair stalked to the door and raising her fist to knock was stopped by Henri.

"Allow me, Madam." Henri delicately rapped upon the door aware of the hour and the occupants in the neighboring suites.

The two waited for a moment, Blair had lost all restraint at this point, she pulled out her cell phone and started looking for the saved contact information of Carly Jacks.

"I am going to call my friend Carly Jacks, she owns this hotel." Blair continued not noticing the shocked look on Henri's face,

"She will give you permission to allow me access to my child's room."

Before Blair could dial Mrs. Jacks' cell phone number at five a.m., Henri made a fateful decision, he slipped the universal key into the door and swung the door open.

"I'm afraid I am going to have to stay with you until Ms. Manning or Mr. Manning give me permission to leave."

Blair and Henri stepped fully into the beautifully appointed suite, Blair again marveled at Carly's exquisite taste, and Blair turned on him.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" Her voice rising, revealing her southern accent with every syllable,

"I am Blair Cramer, my Aunt is Senator Dorian Lord Buchanan, do you really think I need to steal some hotel towels or drink all the booze out of my ex husband's minibar?"

"No, of course not," Henri noticed his voice rising and reflecting his French accent with every word,  
"It is simply against the rules and I want to limit the hotel's liablity."

"LIABILITY!" Blair screeched in her most southern of accents.

Something stopped her cold, an Yves Saint-Laurent black wool jacket thrown carelessly across the end table, a pair of Louboutins carelessly kicked aside, one standing up one laying on its side. These were not the clothes of a girl Starr's age. These were a trail of passion. It hit her then, like twenty freight trains at once, Todd had a lover. Blair could still hear Henri babbling behind her, but his voice was getting quieter and quieter, then she heard nothing as Todd emerged from his bedroom with Carly.

One look told Blair all she needed to know, Todd hadn't looked that good since before the abduction eight years before. He looked refreshed, rested, lighter, could it be, happy? Carly was wearing the black sheath dress that watched the jacket that had been carelessly tossed aside the night before and was barefoot. Her hair truly gave away the night's activities. Her thick blonde hair, usually immaculately styled was beyond rumbled. Carly had tried taming it by hurriedly twisting it atop her head when they first heard the commotion. Tendrils fell across her face, Todd's last thoughts before seeing his angry ex wife were that she had never been more beautiful.

"What is going on here!" Blair shrieked,

"You let a woman spend the night with you while our daughter is living with you."

"What!?" Todd was incredulous.

"How many husband's and lovers did you have while Starr lived with you and let us not forget my twin brother whom you married twice." Todd continued as his temper rose,

"So Blair save us all the righteous indignation."

Then Todd turned his attention to the horrified concierge,

"And you, you what's you're name again? Henry? You just let her into my room in the middle of the night?"

Todd and Blair had fallen into the old pattern, arguing, talking over each other as only family or long time spouses can.

Ignoring Todd Manning and ex wife Henri turned to Carly,

"Mrs. Jacks, she was going to call and wake you, she insisted her daughter lives here, so I thought it prudent to let her in instead of waking the other guests." Henri, quick to point out Blair's attempts at pounding on the door in the early morning hours to his red faced employer.

Carly was starting to recover from the shock of seeing Blair just an hour after making love with Todd. She hated that she felt tawdry, like they had been caught in a hotel room by the wife. Which was ridiculous, Todd and Blair had been divorced for almost ten years, but the jealousy nagged at her.

"Henri, it's alright. This is an unusual situation. Thank you."

Henri took his leave as an uncomfortable silence overtook the room. Carly, wanted to leave, she hated the feelings seeing Blair and Todd together brought up. She spotted her shoes and sat on Todd's sturdy coffee table to put them back on. She remembered her stockings were still in his bedroom and at the memory of Todd's reaction to them the previous evening, her belly stirred.

Todd watched the beautiful blonde slipping on her shoes and the jacket that matched the dress. Blair felt sick as she watched Todd watch Carly with lust but also pride. This wasn't just sex. Blair was certain of that, she had seen and knew his every look and gesture, but she had never seen him look at her like that with, what was it pride? He was proud that Carly was his. Maybe the old Todd wasn't capable of those feelings, maybe those eight years had truly altered his psyche? Maybe he was now capable of a range of feelings he hadn't been before?

Carly stood on nervous, unsteady legs,

"I need to get home, I need to speak to Michael about AJ's resurrection."

Todd walked to her, and ignoring Blair, kissed her soundly on the mouth, as he pulled away he murmured low enough so only she could hear his words,

"That promise you made to Michael, after last night that's over,I will deal with him if I have to, but this is not over."

Blair cleared her throat,

"Michael is the reason I'm here. He's been arrested and Starr was hysterical. She couldn't reach Tea and since some of those charges are federal, she contacted Dorian."

"What charges, why wouldn't Michael call me?" A panicked Carly shrieked.

"I didn't get the full story because Starr was so upset but she thought Dorian's."

"Dorian?" Puzzled Carly asked, "Who's Dorian."

"Satan." Todd replied.

Both women ignored his quip.

"My Aunt is Senator Dorian Lord Buchanan, apparently some of the charges against Michael are Federal when Starr couldn't reach Tea, she's in London on BE business, she called Dorian."

"Then Dorian called me, she's got a sub committee meeting or something."

Blair inexplicably wanted to reach out to the clearly devasted mother. But due to Todd and Carly's new relationship, she wasn't sure if she should. Todd solved her dilemma when he wrapped his arms around Carly and whispered to her,

"Carly, I will do everything in my power to make sure Michael doesn't go back to prison," he gently lifted her shocked face to meet his eyes,

"Up to and including using any of Dorian's resources." Todd shivered at that thought, but he would owe Dorian if he had to.

Carly was comforted by his words, she completely believed him and realized she would trust her son's future to him. She had only truly trusted her children to one other man. She had been right about Jason. While Todd sure wasn't Jason she believed he would watch over her children.

Wiping tears from her eyes and straightening her shoulders to face head on whatever may try to harm her loved ones just as she always had. Except this time Carly turned to the woman she felt she would never live up to in Todd's eyes and heart for answers,

"Why did they arrest him?"

"Starr was hysterical so of course I didn't get the entire story," Blair had found most of her conversation with her daughter confusing but knew she had to come help or at the very least comfort her,

"Michael knew his father that was supposedly dead, was really alive and he is being held on aiding and abetting a fugitive."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Carly sat in the visitor's room at Pentonville Penitentiary. She had sworn she would never step foot in this hell hole again except to visit Jason or Michael. Yet here she sat engulfed by the damp stench as she awaited the arrival of a man she had planned on never seeing again. A man that up until a few weeks ago she had believed herself in love with. A man she had signed away her marriage to Jax for. A man she now knew to be a triple murderer. And maybe the only man that could save her son from ending up back in this very prison.

Carly was not naive. She had been married to Sonny Corinthos and Lorenzo Alcazar. She knew John Zacchara's business, she knew he was no innocent. But she never believed him capable of killing an innocent family and going on with his life as though it hadn't happened. Even now memories of those months they had spent together while had had allowed Kate to believe she had murdered that little family haunted her. Johnny had allowed her to defend him against everyone. The only two people she despised more at this moment were in Ferncliff and locked up at the PCPD.

John Zacchara's eyes lit up at the sight of her in the dingy grey room. Her blonde head the only color in the dank room as she was wearing all black. He wordlessly sat down at the table across from her. He knew by the look she gave him she wasn't here for a friendly visit. Johnny waited patiently for her to start.

"Michael has been arrested and you may be the only person that can collaborate his story." Carly expelled all in one breath,

"You know he can't go back to prison."

"No, Carly he can't." Johnny looked her straight in the eye, deadly serious.

Sensing real trouble Carly simply said,

"Tell me everything."

"Things are alot different now with Jason and Anthony gone and Sonny and me locked up. Sonny's organization is dissolving quickly. I have kept the old Zacchara crews quiet from in here but they're picking up Sonny's territory quickly and the Soleitos have taken this opportunity to get back into power. Eventually, all of Sonny's associates will either be killed or aligned with the Zaccharas or Soleitos. We're going to war. It'll be a good thing for you and your children as they will no longer be seen as leverage to blackmail Sonny with but we aren't there yet. If Michael comes in here, even I can't protect him. There are those even within the Zacchara factions that would defy me to get to Sonny Corinthos' heir."

Carly had been so concerned with Michael's damaged psyche should he do a stint at Pentonville that she had not given any thought to his physical safety in prison. Carly knew the inner workings of the mob well enough to understand the consequences Jason's death and Sonny's commitment had had on the organizations. She knew John, despite his desire to break free of the life, had never been truly able to do so. As Anthony's heir and with the Zaccharas on the brink of war he had been sucked right back into the life he had been born for.

"What did Michael get popped for?" Johnny snapped her out of her unpleasant reverie.

"Aiding and abetting a fugitive and obstruction of justice."

"And he's already a convicted felon." Johnny finished for her.

"Yes but it's so much worse than that. My ex husband, AJ Quartermaine, Michael's biological father, never died. And I can tell by that look you already knew that."

"Carly, you had to know that Jason made deals with Trevor and when he was sane with Anthony. Jason was too level headed to go to war every time Sonny threw a tantrum." Johnny informed an aghast Carly.

Jason and Trevor had often made deals behind Sonny and Anthony's back. They were more pragmatic and savvier businessmen than their power hungry bosses. Both had learned that peace was so much more lucrative than war. Plus it had the added bonus of keeping them out from under law enforcement's and the nosy tabloid press's watchful eye.

"Emily went to Jason and convinced him to fake AJ's death for Monica and Alan. She knew Sonny would eventually kill him. She believed that Alan would forgive him eventually, even if he never saw him again and she convinced Jason that Michael would never recover if Jason or Sonny was responsible for AJ's death." Ignoring her shock Johnny continued on with a story he had thought he would never repeat,

"Jason used Zacchara resources to smuggle AJ out of the country to some clinic on the Swiss Italian border that was run by an old med school classmate of Monica's."

"The police say that AJ came back into the country and revealed himself to Michael while he was here. That AJ used Anthony's bribed guards to keep the visit off of the books. AJ convinced Michael to keep the secret and he has. All of this time. Did you know that?"

"No, but we have 'friends' in here that could make that possible," Johnny whispered looking around at the guard standing at the door who wasn't on the payroll.

"Anthony only would have done it if AJ had given him something big."

"AJ promised to have Sonny and Jason killed." Carly continued as she fought down the rage that had consumed her since she and Todd had been made aware of the events at the PCPD.

"AJ is responsible for Jason's death." Carly whispered.

Johnny reached out and touched her for the first time since the night she had found out about his marriage to Connie. Carly was so distraught by saying the words aloud for the first time she allowed Johnny's brief comfort.

"Can you talk to Alexis and Diane and tell them what you told me? They are both working on this." Carly asked.

"Of course, that kid has gotten a raw deal since the shooting."

"Longer than that, much longer." Carly sadly interjected.

"I'll do what I can. There are a couple of judges that are on the bench thanks to Anthony just keep that in mind." With those words he rose and nodded to the guard who opened the door and followed him out the door.

Carly sat alone in the room for long moments and let the events of the past day and especially Johnny's words of the past hour register, truly sink in. She knew Todd was waiting for her, impatiently. But she had to gather her thoughts before she faced anyone. Jason had known all of those years AJ was alive. He had facilitated AJ's escape and in doing so he allowed that bastard to come back and bite them all one last time. Allow him to eventually kill him. Had he told Alan before he died? Had he and Michael discussed him after Jason joined Michael here?

Carly thought she had lived through the worst a mother could live through, being told your child is dead, that was until yesterday. She and Todd had arrived at the PCPD expecting to find Michael in lock up. Instead they had been met by a grim faced Anna who had to tell Carly that Michael had attempted suicide while in lockup.

During his questioning by John, Dante and Anna herself, they had revealed that Faison had admitted everything to Interpol. AJ had met and teamed up with Faison at that Swiss clinic. He had been the mastermind behind Faison attacking Sonny's assets and ultimately luring Jason to his death on the pier. It had been explained to Michael that due to the fact that he had been aware AJ was alive and had not turned him in and AJ had committed a crime he was going to be charged with aiding and abetting a fugitive and obstruction of justice. Both felonies. Michael hadn't cared. All he had heard was because he hadn't turned AJ in when he had turned up at Pentonville, Jason was dead and his dad was in a mental hospital. Michael had not been deemed a suicide risk so he had been allowed a blanket with which he had been found hanging from thankfully within seconds.

Starr had been at Dante's desk frantically attempting to reach her step mother Tea Delgado when Dante and several uniforms, that worked in the jail, ran to the exit and met the ambulance. She dropped the phone and ran to the gurney when she noticed the inmate's head. The dirty blonde was Michael. She jumped onto the ambulance with Dante, who appeared to have aged ten years in the past month, and rode to the Emergency Room with him. The EMTs had inserted a tube into his crushed windpipe. Starr again felt overwhelmed with the feeling that anyone that got near her was doomed.

Starr had been unable to reach Tea as she was in London on business for Buchanan Enterprises. She had heard them discussing the fugitive charges potentially being federal. As they worked on Michael in the ER cubicle, Starr called her great aunt, Senator Dorian Lord Buchanan. Dorian had considerable pull on several subcommittees especially for a Junior Senator. No doubt due to Pennsylvania's number of Electoral College votes and the Commonwealth's position as a swing state. Starr had been hysterical and Dorian immediately called her mother, Blair.

Blair Cramer walked into the ER where she had been told of her grandchild's death. Her thought's were momentarily transferred from thoughts of Carly and Todd to those awful days following the accident. She found her daughter curled up in a chair in the waiting room. It hit Blair then that Starr looked defeated, shriveled up like a little girl again. It was right then she decided that she was staying in Port Charles until her little girl healed. She would just avoid Todd. It didn't matter to HER what he was doing or who he was doing it with.

Carly had run into the ER. Todd Manning close on her heels. He wanted to see Starr as the picture Blair had painted of Starr's fragile state had scared him but right now, Carly's oldest child wasn't breathing on his own. He stood with an arm around Carly listening to Steven Webber explain Michael's condition. Steve explained that Michael would survive but his trachea and vocal chords were damaged. He wouldn't breath or speak on his own for awhile and some damage may be permanent. Todd felt nothing but rage. He was glad Jason was dead, he was glad Sonny was seemingly going to spend the rest of his life in an asylum, he was glad AJ would never get out of prison. This kid had never had a chance at a good stable life. Now he would likely end up in prison again. Todd vowed to never let that happen, he would make the kid disappear before he let that happen to Carly and her family.

After meeting with Diane and Alexis, Diane having withdrawn as AJ's council, Carly was told the details of AJ's escape. Diane suggested Johnny Zacchara, who was running the Zacchara organization from Pentonville might testify on Michael's behalf. John had always had a soft spot for Michael and they believed he might not only know the particulars of the deal AJ and Anthony had arranged but be willing to testify that Michael had never known about it or seen AJ while at Pentonville. That he was naively protecting the biological father he never knew. They believed that they could sell Jason and Anthony as the perpetrators and since both were dead, only Anthony's son could back it up. Diane's fervent hope was to make the authorities believe Michael had not known of AJ's death before the wake. That AJ had visited Anthony at Pentonville, not Michael. For that she knew she had to enlist Carly to get Johnny Zacchara on board.

So here she sat, hopeful for her son's legal prospects but fearful for his future. She knew he would carry the guilt of Jason's death until the day he died with him. As Carly walked out of the prison gates to the waiting Town car that Todd borrowed from the hotel anytime he needed a car she felt lighter and warmer with every step. She knew their future was uncertain with Blair back. For right now she just needed him and his solid warmth. She opened the door and slipped into the backseat. Carly pushed the papers he had been reading to the floorboard and laid her head in his lap. Todd told the driver to go. As they rode back in silence, she felt his hands in her hair and rubbing her side from hip to shoulder. Carly had forgotten her coat and while the heat was warm in the car she still had goosebumps.

Todd leaned down and kissed her lips.

"I love you." He murmured against them.

And with those words, Carly felt a contentment wash over her that she hadn't felt in years. But she couldn't say it back, not with Blair in town, not with Michael's legal issues hanging over them. She couldn't be sure he hadn't said them to deflect his feeling for Blair. But she knew in this moment, she was happy with this man.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

A noticeably thinner Starr Manning stood in the hallway outside Michael's hospital room listening to Diane recount her meeting with Johnny Zacchara. Starr had been devastated by Michael's suicide attempt but it had just been the straw that had broken the camel's back. Starr had been holding onto her grief and despair for far too long. She had, like her father, lashed out and sought retribution when her child died. She had focused her energies on helping Tea and Dani when the news of the baby switch had surfaced and she had chalked her father's role in that fiasco up as Todd trying to spare Tea any further pain but it had chipped away at her. Starr had remained steadfast and ever ready to help Michael when news of Jason Morgan's murder and Sonny Corinthos' commitment came to light. But seeing Michael on that gurney in the ambulance, a deathly shade of grey with a tube down his throat had unwound all of the feelings she had been trying so desperately to hold so tightly onto. While Michael slowly recuperated at General Hospital Starr fell into the depression those closest to her had expected right after the accident. Her great aunt had even written a prescription and given her mother a bottle of Wellbutrin fully expecting Starr to experience at least short term depression.

Blair Cramer had moved her two minor children into the hotel owned by her ex husband's lover in order to care for her oldest child. Dorian had warned her of this but it had taken a year to manifest itself. She now stood outside the room of the boy that had broken Starr's facade with Todd's lover and his lawyer listening as they discussed the case that could land Michael in prison for at least thirty years. She would be eternally grateful to him for saving her daughter's life and Blair had come to genuinely like him but right now her entire focus was Starr. If Todd's red headed attorney had bad news she wasn't sure what Starr's reaction would be. Blair had just gotten her to eat something for the first time since the incident five days before and Starr hadn't had more that three hours of sleep since he had been admitted. Blair glanced over at Carly Jacks the woman that had seemingly won Todd's heart and although she was experiencing the most intense jealously of her life she also felt the most intense sympathy. Blair hadn't felt this awful for a parent, with the exception of Starr at Hope's loss, since Jack had bullied the Morasco boy.

Carly felt light headed. She hadn't left the hospital since she had returned to Port Charles following her meeting with Johnny at Pentonville four days earlier. Michael would live but he still was unable to talk. Alexis and Diane had both kept her apprised of what was going on with Michael's case. AJ would plead guilty in return for a sentence of 40 years to life instead of life without parole. It was conceivable he would be paroled at some point but highly unlikely. Todd had told her he had fallen on that sword to save Monica who was rumored to have known about his escape.

"May I speak in front of them?" Diane bluntly asked indicating Blair and Starr.

Carly had been acutely aware of Blair's presence but she was here for her child. Carly understood that. How Todd felt about that or Blair for that matter was a discussion they had not had since he told her he loved her in the car on the way home from Pentonville.

"Yes, go on."

"John Zacchara told the District Attorney this morning, in a sworn affidavit, that he was aware of Anthony and Jason's deal to extract AJ from the country using Zacchara resources. He then told the DA that his grandfather had mentioned a visit from AJ Quartermaine during his last stint in Pentonville. Anthony had been proud of it, he told Johnny AJ was the secret weapon he needed to bring down Sonny and Jason. They planned for Anthony to raid all of Sonny's territory and effectively break him finacially as long as AJ was allowed to kill Jason Morgan."

"SO, what did the DA say?" Carly was too impatient to wait on one of Diane's trademark dramatic pauses.

"He said that it made perfect sense considering Michael's past of lying to protect his father or um fathers. He then thanked Mr. Zacchara for his cooperation. And said all charges against Michael were going to be dropped although.." Diane paused making sure she had their attention for her gossip,

"DA Meyers was disappointed that AJ took the fall for his mother. Apparently the Quartermaines backed his opponent during the last election, he was itching to prosecute Monica."

Carly took Diane's hands and pulled her to her kissing her on each cheek. Carly promised a ballgown of her choice from the boutique. Beaming Diane left the small group, Cartullo's Fall Couture collection dancing in her head.

"Thank God." Starr said her color clearly better as she and Blair watched Carly collapse.

Blair caught Carly before her head could hit the hard floor as Starr ran to the nurses station for help. Two hours later Blair and Starr were still waiting outside the ER cubicles for news of Carly. Unbeknownst to Blair, Starr had slipped off and called Todd to let him know about Carly but unable to reach him she chose not to leave him a voicemail until they knew more. Blair and Starr walked to the doctor they recognized as the one who had been treating Carly as he met them in the waiting area.

"Miss, your mother is going to be fine. It really was just exhaustion and she's a bit dehydrated. She didn't miscarry, though I must say after looking over her medical history that she conceived at all is truly a miracle. I'm going to admit her overnight just to get some more fluids in her but her OB/GYN will take it from there."

Noticing the shocked, confused and worried looks on Starr and Blair's faces, he patted Starr on the arm and tried to reassure her again.

"She really is fine, you look like you need some rest, you won't do your mother any good if she's worried about you."

The little doctor walked off. Neither Blair nor Starr had corrected him when he had assumed Starr was Carly's daughter. They had other news to digest. Both sat in the visitor's chairs dumbfounded for long moments. Finally, Starr rose,

"I'm going to go check on her. You'll let me know if there is any change with Michael?"

"Of course."

Blair sat back and absorbed the news that Todd was having a child with someone else. Again. It had been a shock with Tea but he had married Tea twice and spent years with her. How long had he and Carly been together? Blair had always believed she would be the mother of his children. First Tea had given him a child and now Carly was. Blair just wanted to go to Carly's fabulous bar and have a half dozen highballs.

Starr walked into the room where Carly lay on her side with her eyes closed. She looked down on the woman carrying her half sibling. The mother of her boyfriend. She touched Carly's shoulder and Carly turned to face her.

"You know?" Carly could tell by the way Starr's eyes skimmed her body in the flimsy hospital gown, she was looking for the visible signs.

Starr nodded.

"You can't tell him, Starr." Carly implored the young woman with tears welling up in her eyes.

"I can't have him stay with me because of this." Carly pleaded with an understanding Starr,

"Or because of Jason's death or because of Michael and I couldn't live with him knowing he's not with your mother because I'm pregnant."

"OK, please get some rest, I'll stay with Michael."

Carly watched her child's half sibling walk out. What she hadn't told the ER doctor or Todd's daughter was just how tricky this pregnancy might be. She had had to have surgery for a ruptured appendix month's after Joss's birth which had initiated adhesion formation on her Fallopian tubes. They had become distorted and blocked which led the doctors to tell her the only chance for another pregnancy was IVF. Carly had also been told that in the unlikely event that she should conceive she was at high risk for ectopic pregnancies. Carly hadn't experienced any symptoms and she knew she was keeping this child. This baby was a miracle. From the minute the doctor had told her she was pregnant she had loved it, no fallen in love with it. Carly knew they had conceived him, she already felt it was a boy, the night Jason died. Jason had guided her in those days and she believed he had guided her to Todd and given her this baby. She smiled thinking of Jason in heaven thinking a child would keep her from inventing any "plans". No, it didn't matter what her doctors said they weren't taking her final gift from Jason and no matter what happened with Todd a piece of him would always be hers. Carly would give her life if she had to.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Todd walked into the bar at the Metro Court for his daily meeting with his Editor in Chief. Much to Todd's chagrin the man wouldn't step foot in the Sun's offices. Jameson, Todd wasn't sure if that was his name or a nickname bestowed upon him due to his penchant for Irish whiskey, was sitting at his usual table notes and files spilled out across his laptop. His ever present whiskey sitting on top of the entire mess. Todd despised the man but he was a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who had worked for the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune and written for the New Yorker. His reporters respected and feared the man and since Todd had hired him, without interviewing him, based solely on his résumé and writing he had noticed the quality in all divisions of his paper improve exponentially. His tabloid had managed to strike a unique balance between tabloid news and hard news with columns written by several up and coming columnists on politics, the economy, fashion and of course Diane Miller's famous gossip column. The Sun under Jameson's stewardship had turned into a respectable paper that added subscribers each week in an age when newspapers were dying. Todd still believed the front page was the reason for his paper's resurgence. The front page was still Todd's and he relished it. Before he reached Jameson he noticed the lanky blonde figure of his first ex wife.

Blair had driven from General Hospital, after checking in again on Michael, to the Metro Court. The day after she had arrived in Port Charles she sent for her troubled seventeen year old son, Jack and her precious six year old, Sam. Knowing she would have her hands full with Starr and not completely trusting Jack to watch his brother for extended periods she had asked the au pair she had hired the summer before to accompany the boys. The four of them had settled into a three bedroom suite. The entire trip had been one stressor after another. Starr was hurting, deeply depressed, she wouldn't eat or sleep and had refused to leave the hospital. On top of that, Jack had not left the bedroom at the hotel since they arrived. He ordered every meal from room service and she hadn't had the presence of mind to have the mini bar locked and the night before last he had raided it getting spectacularly drunk and frightening his little brother. Blair had called Todd to come and handle him as he was getting emotional and aggressive. Todd had arrived and while they had fought Todd had allowed him to lash out at him a bit before bodily lifting him and throwing him in bed. Todd had taken Sam and the nanny to his suite for the night. They hadn't spoken since yesterday morning when he had returned Sam. And now thirty six hours later everything had changed.

Blair's blurry mind couldn't completely wrap itself around the news that he had not only begun a relationship with another woman but fallen in love. Blair could tell. She hated it, she hated how gentle and attentive and well, happy Todd was with her. He was seemingly at peace and THAT is what truly made her jealous. She had always strived to give Todd sanctuary and peace and had never succeeded. Well, that was until three hours ago when that doctor told her Carly was carrying his child. That was the real reason she had just downed her fourth scotch and soda when she felt his touch before she turned to see him.

Todd noticed Blair drinking at 6 o'clock in the evening alone in the bar. He nodded to Jameson and walked over to her. He touched her shoulder intent to find out about Jack's condition. Instead he got a drunk Blair wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him fully on the mouth. It truly was the last thing he was expecting, he had actually expected her wrath and blame for Jack's downward spiral. He pulled at her long arms and turned his head.

"Blair."

Blair had rested her head in the crook of his neck. God, she loved his smell. She remembered it, it hadn't changed in all of the years she had known him. That alone should have tipped her off that Victor wasn't Todd. And Carly got to smell him every night.

"Don't you miss us? Weren't we go together?" Blair mumbled.

"Why don't you go up to my suite and lay down?" Todd asked as he pulled her away and sat her back in the bar stool he had found her in. He didn't want Jack but especially little Sam to see her like this.

"Why don't you join me? The only advantage to my age is I can't get pregnant any more."

"Well I'm glad you're looking at the glass as half full. Though yours is clearly empty." Todd said looking at the two empty glasses sitting in front of her.

"Isn't it ironic? We've been grandparents and we've both got years, well in your case 18, more years of parenting. Most people our age are done." Blair continued rambling slurring her Southern accent becoming more distinct with every syllable.

"But that's not unusual in men your age is it? No, men your age always get younger women and start new families and Starr is my damn daughter alright?! Don't you ever forget it." Blair suddenly stated remembering the doctor calling Starr Carly's daughter.

Todd froze with his newly arrived drink half way to his mouth. Slowly he turned his head toward her, her drunken rant registering but not making sense.

"Blair, what are you talking about?"

"Starr's MY daughter not your new girlfriend's."

"Focus Blair, Carly doesn't want your daughter." Todd was getting frustrated and more than a little angry with his rambling, drunken ex.

"Not Carly, Todd! That little pissant ER doctor just ASSUMING Starr is hers. And why because they're both blonde, so am I dammit! Do I need to color my hair?" Blair turned to him running her hands through her hairstyle.

"Blair do I look like I give a damn what you do to your hair? Why were you at the ER?" Tood began speaking to her very clearly and slowly hoping his words would break through the scotch haze.

"With Starr and Carly? Is it Michael? Is Starr pregnant again?" He shuttered at THAT thought but his suspicion was she hadn't been referring to Starr.

"No no, thank God." That thought had sobered Blair but just momentarily.

"Carly, Todd, Carly! You knocked up Carly. Just like you knocked up Tea." Blair spit the words at him with all of the venom she could muster in her current state.


	13. Chapter 13

Todd Manning was shocked speechless. Completely and absolutely at his ex wife's words. They had been spit out in the same accusatory tone he knew all too well, though this time more heavily accented than he ever remembered and slurred from scotch. His world blurred and his mind tuned out everything. The piano music playing, Blair's rambling and reaching for a fresh drink, his meeting with Jameson. All of it. Todd's mind played the words over and over. Before he could fully process what Blair had said, surely she had been mistaken, his mind drifted further. He saw a little girl, Joss's age, with blonde hair and big blue eyes and Starr and Hope's smile running to him arms outstretched.

He remembered her whispered words, in the throes of her grief and their passion the night Jason Morgan had died, that she couldn't have anymore children. Todd didn't know the reason but he had researched her ex husband's. He knew of the circumstances that surrounded Morgan's birth. Todd himself felt the raised scar on the right side of her head, at her hairline, every time he ran his fingers through her hair or held her head in his hands. White hot rage flowed through him, unlike any other he'd ever experienced, each time his fingers grazed it. He was glad Sonny was locked up in that asylum before he'd ever felt it. Todd knew he wouldn't he been able to control his rage at the diminutive mobster. He had come to know her body well. His fingers and lips had teased the long, faint scar that marred her pelvis, evidence of Michael's birth, as he knew her other two had been natural births. But he suspected it was the violence surrounding Jocelyn's birth that had led to her infertility. Her poor body had suffered tremendously to bear the children she had. It was that. The idea of her struggling to carry his that snapped him back.

"Where is she, Blair?" He demanded of his ex wife.

"Who?" Blair really was drunk if she had lost track of the turn this conversation had taken.

"Carly! Where is she?"

"In the ER at General Hospital, Starr was visiting with her when I left to check on Michael." The look on Todd's face quickly sobering her.

"Why was she..never mind." Todd was finished with Blair.

He threw four twenty dollar bills on the bar to cover her drinks and grabbing her upper arm, he pulled her off of the bar stool and headed towards the elevator with her stumbling behind him. He impatiently threw her into the elevator and pushed the button for his floor. Todd intended to get to General Hospital as quickly as he could but he had to deal with Blair first. He didn't want Jack or especially little Sam to see her in this condition. Blair knew all too well the look on his face and she decided not to engage him instead she allowed him to push her into his suite.

"Sleep it off here. I will tell the nanny where you are."

With those words he stormed out the door slamming in his wake.

As Todd stalked through the lobby he dialed the room where Blair, Sam and Jack had been staying with Sam's nanny. Reaching her he quickly filled her in on where Blair was.

Todd walked into the ER at General Hospital where so much tragedy had occurred. Where he had been told of his granddaughter's death, where he had spent countless hours with Carly during the pathogen scare and just days ago watched as the doctors worked to revive Carly's oldest child. It was also where they had schemed together on the day of their meeting, both dressed in scrubs determined to sneak in to see loved one's that they had been banned from seeing. Now he was there less than a year later to find out if that amazing creature that had been so devious and delicious in her scheming that day was carrying his child.

The large competent Head Nurse with the funny name directed him to a curtained off section of the ER. As he pulled the curtain back he was shocked to find an elderly man on oxygen occupying the bed he had expected to see her in. Pulling the curtain back in place her heard her. Todd had to listen carefully to determine which cubicle she was in, he didn't want to see anything he couldn't unsee. When he stopped in front of her cubicle and was about to pull back the curtain he heard another woman. The only words he heard were "ectopic, you could die." And he heard Carly say "No." The conversation was muddled and didn't make sense. He stood immobile outside the curtained off cubicle and listened.

"Carly, it is a miracle that you even conceived but you know there is a slim chance this pregnancy isn't tubal."

"But there is a chance. You can't say for sure yet."

"No, even with the best equipment it's hard to see a pregnancy less than five weeks after your last period. But given your history we simply can't rule it out."

"I haven't had any pain or bleeding."

"You did faint. We can't be sure that this isn't the cause. Carly, we want to treat this obviously before it ruptures but also while it's still early enough to treat with an injection of methotrexate."

"NO! Get out, I will not do it." Carly raged.

Todd slowly walked away. He had felt this pregnancy would be dangerous given her prior pregnancies and deliveries but words like "ruptured" and the doctor's tone had left him feeling cold and numb. He was walking to the waiting area where he could see when that doctor left when he bumped into the male nurse that had accompanied the awkward young girl to his office that day asking for funding for a charity.

"Hello, handsome." the obviously gay nurse flirted with him.

"I remember you."

"Well, I'm glad I'm as unforgettable as you are." Felix crooned admiring the fierce older man again, "Though I should be cross with you for not underwriting the Nurses Ball."

That's right, it was a ball they had wanted him to fund.

"Tell you what, if you answer my questions I'll buy five tables." Todd needed answers from a medical professional and this young nurse would have to suffice.

"Ten." Felix bargained, though he knew he would have answered any question this man had for nothing. Plus he had a haunted look about him that Felix's nurturing nature noticed and couldn't ignore.

"Fine whatever," Todd grumbled, "What can you tell me about tubal pregnancies?"

The flirtatious easy going manner was gone in a flash replaced by grim detachment. Felix didn't know much about the infamous owner of the local paper but he thought he had read in a Blind Item in his own gossip section that he was dating a prominent local figure.

"I'm sorry Mr. Manning." Felix started, "Most women are able to have viable healthy pregnancies after."

"After what?" Todd demanded then softened his tone, he realized this young man was being too sympathetic for this to be good news.

"Tubal pregnancies are not viable, they need to be addressed before they rupture and cause permanent damage to the mother."

"She could die?"

"Ectopic pregnancies are life threatening to the mother. However, most very early tubal pregnancies can and are resolved without any lasting damage."

"It's going to be ok, Mr. Manning." Felix was becoming truly concerned for this man. Todd's face had turned white and his eyes had become almost wild.

"Thanks." Todd mumbled as he saw a woman emerge from the curtained section Carly was in.

"Call my office, my assistant will handle the details of paying for the tables."

With that Todd went to the cubicle holding Carly and slowly pulled back the curtain. Her eyes were closed and her breathing even and deep. She was asleep, probably from a sedative flowing into her from the IV. Carly's face was red and her eyes puffy from crying. Todd sat down in the chair next to her bed. He pushed a few gold tendrils that had slipped lose from the low ponytail off of her face. Held the hand without the IV, rubbing his thumb over it, the cool skin warmed at his touch and then he looked down. At her womb. His child lay there, they had made a baby. He couldn't completely wrap his mind around it, at their age they had made a baby. He had been a grandfather and she had two grown sons. He put his free hand there, right over her womb. He actually felt resentment towards it. Right now, it was jeopardizing her life. If she wanted children they could try for more, though he had no desire to endanger her with another pregnancy. They could adopt. He'd buy her a child if she wanted but right now he couldn't stop himself from wanting this one gone. His worry and fear, increasing by the second, of it rupturing and causing her anymore pain was becoming suffocating.

The intense emotions he was feeling weren't new. Since that first night together, he had loved her. He realized that now. He truly was in love with her and wanted to protect her. Wanted more than that. Todd wanted to marry her and share his life with her. And he would no matter what it took. She was his now.

Carly opened her eyes, the fog from the sedative clouding her mind. She felt more than saw Todd there at her side. His hand was laying on her lower abdomen, his head resting on her bed next to her hand. He knew. How had he found out? Starr. She must have told him. He looked tense even in sleep. She took the hand next to his head and ran her fingers through his too long hair. He stirred and looked up into her eyes.

"Hey." She whispered.

"Are you ok? Do I need to get the doctor? " Todd worriedly asked.

"No, I feel fine. I'm just pregnant." Carly tried to make it sound light as though there was nothing to worry about, but it fell flat, probably due to the sedatives.

Carly had decided she would tell just tell him, though she knew he was aware.

"Not for long." Todd fiercely responded.

And with those words, Carly's heart shattered and leaning up she shoved him away.

"Get out. Don't come back, ever." Her eyes fierce and cold.


End file.
